Avery Bradley @ 13th (Update On Pg. 14)

Back to the point guard issue, he wouldn't be suited to an offense where the point guard has the ball in his hands constantly. But he would be an ideal point guard to pair with someone like Tyreke Evans or Brandon Roy because he doesn't need the ball in his hands and will hit open perimeter shots and has enough handle and general basketball sense to trigger an offense.

Bradley is a very intelligent, alert and committed defender. Those three qualities sound simple to possess, but it is baffling to see how rare it is for so players at this age, and it is all you really need to be comptetent.

When you combine those three attributes, with his length, wingspan and lateral quickness, Bradley becomes a potential lock-down defender of opposing point guards and smaller wings.

I know most people think we need a big man, but Avery Bradley sounds like he would fit into the Raptors pretty well. He wouldn't need the ball in his hands, which would allow Hedo to be the primary ball handler. Also, as a lockdown defender at the point guard position, that would fix a primary weakness, plus indirectly help Bargnani as he wouldn't need to help on defense as much. If Bradley can stop a lot of penetration by opposing point guards, we would not have as much need for a shotblocker.
I'm not saying he would be the answer to all the Rap's problems, but he deserves a good long look.

I remember the days with TJ, we defended the pick & roll pretty decently because he was able to go around or through the screens because of his quickness. That meant less help defense necessary from Bosh and Bargs.

Jose and Jack are not quick enough to go around screens (Banks was better than both) therefore our bigs are forced to help more often, and we've seen the results of that. So I guess yeah, either get a better helping big, or get a quicker defending point to go around screens. But ultimately, I'm hoping we can get both. If I had to pick one though...I'd still go with a big.

Oh MY, Raptors must draft Bradley!!

i just discovered this young athletic SCORING DEFENSIVE POINT GUARD, Avery Bradley, i dont know why raptor fans aren't talking about this guy. He would help us on defense tremendously as opposing PG's wont blow by the raps anymore.

Does he have a jump shot? is he a distributor(2.1 asst) ? because just by looking at the highlights it looks like he is a slasher. But besides all that he looks like he has some ball handling ability for his size 6'3 and quickness, although we already have a work in progress in DD do we really need another ?

My question about DD is why is everyone boxing him into one position? Why don't you feel he can play the 3?

I think it would be great if he could add more size and play the 3. Butler is the same size and plays the 3, I would love it if he turned into Scottie Pippen but i think he would need to work on his post up game a bit more and his rebounding also. If Hedo doesnt show up next year I hope Jay turns to his Weems and DD playing at the 2&3 because it worked when he tried this year and next year they will be even more experineced.

Raptors Analysis: The Raptors already have two pretty good point guards on their roster -- Jose Calderon and Jarrett Jack. However, neither is the uber-quick speed demon that coach Jay Triano would love to have. Bradley also gives the Raptors something else that neither Calderon and Jack provide -- the ability to play lockdown defense.

The more I read, the less and less excited I am about the 13th pick. There's really not much I'm liking down there. Bradley is a great defensive player who does not appear to have any PG skills whatsoever, and apparently doesn't create much off the dribble. He's mostly a jumpshooter, which is nice, but not exactly what the Raptors need. I think Bradley as good as anyone in that spot, but I don't think there's anyone you're going to regret taking down there.

The more I read, the less and less excited I am about the 13th pick. There's really not much I'm liking down there. Bradley is a great defensive player who does not appear to have any PG skills whatsoever, and apparently doesn't create much off the dribble. He's mostly a jumpshooter, which is nice, but not exactly what the Raptors need. I think Bradley as good as anyone in that spot, but I don't think there's anyone you're going to regret taking down there.

As of today, I don't think there's much difference in perceived talent of the players slotted to go 13 through 25. Once the workouts start, things will become clearer and teams can start positioning and targeting players, but as of right now no GM would be considered guilty of picking someone too early in that range.

Every day I get more sweet on Avery Bradley. I had hated almost everyone else that had been previously mentioned. Finally a point guard who plays defense and can throw down, how long has it been for the raps? Oh wait, pretty much forever.

Who cares where Bradley is supposed to go, find your guy, stick to him and hope for the best. Good on BC for not drafting size simply for the sake of doing it.

Thier likely going to save money next year, it would be ideal an draft to grab another late first and take one of the many bigs surely to still be on the board.

i like bradley just fine... i hear comparisons to a less offensively inclined russell westbrook, sign me up!

the other guy i'm high on that few else seem to be is patterson... phdsteve and others are all concerned about his size, and i think that line of thinking is the same reason guys like orton and whiteside rise on draft boards (not knocking orton btw, nobody knows anything about him. but i hear some things that worry me about whiteside) while people second guess proven talents.

i think he was the most consistent player on the best team in the counrtry. he'll produce at the nba level. just like landry or millsap or blair (although admittedly i don't think he has the freakishly long arms of the latter two)